Taylor Phinney breaks leg at road nationals

Taylor Phinney crashed against this barrier on the descent into Chattanooga, resulting in a compound fracture. Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com

Taylor Phinney crashed against this barrier on the descent into Chattanooga, resulting in a compound fracture. Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com

BMC Racing’s Taylor Phinney had hoped to become the first American man to win both the U.S. time trial and road race championships in the same season this weekend in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Instead, a broken left leg suffered during Monday’s road national championship leaves the remainder of the 23-year-old’s season in doubt.

Phinney crashed on the descent of Lookout Mountain, appearing to have collided with a roadside barrier. He was transported to Chattanooga’s Erlanger Medical Center, where X-rays confirmed the break. Commentators on the race’s webcast said a compound fracture was suspected.

At 6:24 EDT on Sunday, BMC Racing tweeted that Phinney was undergoing surgery “for lower left leg fracture and injury to his knee.”

The team later issued a statement, which read, “Phinney crashed on a left-hand turn approximately 43 kilometers into the 165.5-km race. BMC Racing Team Chief Medical Officer Dr. Max Testa said Phinney was undergoing surgery Monday night at a Chattanooga hospital for injuries that included a tib-fib fracture of his left lower leg, and an injury to the same knee.”

The mishap almost certainly scuttles Phinney’s hopes to ride his first Tour de France in July. He won the USA Cycling Professional Time Trial Championship on Saturday, telling VeloNews that he planned to debut his custom stars and stripes skinsuit in the prologue of the Criterium du Dauphine on Sunday, June 8.

This story will updated throughout the day as news of Phinney’s condition is released.